Parking is ever topic of talk in downtown

Published 7:00 pm, Wednesday, February 17, 2010

If there is one subject that seldom drops off the South Norwalk radar, it's parking.

We have seen the latest change with the Common Council's vote to eliminate the tollbooths at the Webster Street lot, switching the lot to a pay-by-space system, now used in other city parking lots with apparently little problem.

Then there was some momentary indecision over the "grace period" designed to allow customers of take-out food spots time to run in to get an order without feeding the meter.

First, there was sentiment for retaining it, then the emphasis switched to allowing the Parking Authority to make the decision. It did. The grace period's out.

Now, on another level not involving the Norwalk Parking Authority, we have Mayor Richard A. Moccia asking the city Zoning Commission to weigh easing its unpopular cash in lieu of parking spaces requirement.

This requires businesses to pay a one-time fee of $20,000 for each parking space they are unable to provide for their customers. Although the plan was created to encourage more diversity in the business area, it seems to have resulted in empty stores, a reflection of the present economic condition.

Zoning officials say discussion about altering the regulation were under way before a downtown watering hole protested its payment of a reported $120,000 in lieu of parking spaces. Perhaps the whole idea needs to be re-examined.

Since the goal is to attract new businesses, it doesn't seem the best way to accomplish that.